After reading The Kansas City Star’s June 17 editorial “Nixon should veto cell tower bill,” I wanted to provide a counterpoint about why I think this bill is right for Missouri.

As a broker in the commercial real-estate industry, I know that when advising my clients in the acquisition or disposition of property, access to solid, reliable communications — particularly wireless service — plays a key part in the decision-making process.

From individuals like me who use their smartphones to stay in touch with clients and update listings for people who live in wireless-only households and rely on their devices to stay connected to their friends and family, to those who depend on it in emergency situations, robust wireless service is a must-have in today’s digital world.

I believe that lawmakers worked hard to create straightforward and sensible guidelines that enable local authorities to protect our property rights and interests while also encouraging companies to invest in the wireless services and coverage that we all want and need.

I hope Gov. Jay Nixon looks out for the best interests of Missouri and signs this bill into law.

John Hassler

Kansas CityFathers' thoughts

Numerous letters have been written regarding the Founding Fathers’ thoughts on the right to keep and bear arms. The following are quotes from three patriots.

“This will not only lessen the call for military establishments, but if circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in discipline and the use of arms, who stand ready to defend their own rights and those of their fellow citizens. This appears to me the only substitute that can be devised for a standing army, and the best possible security against it, if it should exist.”

Federalist No. 46, attributed to James Madison, states: “Besides the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation ... the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.”

One final quote from Benjamin Franklin: “They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Kevin Driver

ParkvilleInform Congress

Congress is taking advantage of the people.

Most of our Congress members are corrupt and are on the take from lobbyists of big oil refineries and corporations. They exhibit the greed of the wealthy while the middle class and the poor suffer because of the manipulation of lawmakers and corporations.

Diesel and gasoline prices increased 38 cents to 40 cents earlier this year. It was not because of the law of supply and demand but because of simple greed and control over the middle class and poor of our country.

The people must demand that Congress start listening to us or the members of Congress will be voted out of office for incompetence and corruption.

Transportation energy should cost no more than $2.50 a gallon because of the low wages of our working and middle class and poor families. Energy costs must be considered with high food prices, shelter, rent and utilities.

Why aren’t the people letting members of Congress know they are sick and tired of the wealthy taking advantage of the workers, military troops, the elderly and the poor?

Terrance R. Hawbaker

Atchison, Kan.Apple tax worm

Apple has taken heat this year for using a loophole to lower its taxes. This is a great example of how messed up our government is.

Some senators should set up a huge mirror facing the Capitol and ask who gave corporations that loophole.

Many of them have been in Washington, D.C., long enough that they may have voted on that legislation. Some may have even had a hand in writing it.

David Bartlett

Kansas CityNRA water boys

After the Newtown, Conn., massacre, many in Congress still defend the unrestricted use of firearms and their accessories.

Surely they have to believe that the deaths of 20 children and six adults are just collateral damage in protecting the Second Amendment as they perceive it — and justifies the losses of these lives.

Although mental health played a part in this massacre and in numerous other massacres over the years, it should not be treated separately as a cause of the massacres but as a part of gun regulations.

The current debate over gun regulations in Congress is so reminiscent of the tobacco companies’ denial of damage caused by tobacco and congressional members’ corresponding double-talk to constituents while serving as water boys for tobacco lobbyists.

How many more will have to die before Congress quits packing water for gun lobbyists?

Marvin Sturgeon

Independence Immigration reform

I am distressed by the stinginess of compassion and wisdom in the calls to reject immigration reform and a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented people in our country.

I sympathize with the protests that law and order must prevail and that illegal actions must not be sanctioned.

Yet these 11 million people have surely purchased some measure of this soil through their labor, and they love it more than many of us born unthinkingly to its bounty. To block their aspirations to belong, fully, to our national community, priggishly restrains their civic and economic potential.

At a time when a mood of stagnation and a hunger for innovation pervade our land, we owe it not to them but to ourselves to extend a welcome to them in both spirit and law.

Let’s reform this broken system now.

Lane Van Ham

Kansas CitySenate bill support

As chancellor of the University of Missouri, I’ve seen firsthand how immigrants enrich our nation, beginning with all four of my wife Anne’s grandparents, who were poor but hardworking immigrants from Italy. In my academic career, I’ve come to deeply admire the many ways in which our campus community is enriched by immigrant students, faculty and staff who work hard, shine in the classroom and do ground-breaking research that benefits all.

MU takes pride in the diversity of immigrant students and faculty as we help train the world’s top minds in science, technology, engineering and math and in the creative and performing arts. But because of our country’s antiquated immigration system, after we have invested resources in these individuals, many are sent abroad to compete against us.

The U.S. needs an immigration policy that will help ensure our international graduates have a clear path to green cards so they can stay and create new American jobs. The comprehensive immigration reform bill (SB 744) represents a unique opportunity to accomplish this.

I hope fellow citizens will join me in urging Missouri Sens. Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill to support it.

Brady J. Deaton

Chancellor

University of Missouri

ColumbiaQuality symphony

Anyone who heard the Kansas City Symphony’s recording rehearsal concert recently in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts should now know that New York City, Boston and Chicago have no advantage over Kansas City when it comes to quality orchestras. It just doesn’t get much better.

Thank you, Kansas City Symphony musicians and Michael Stern, for providing me with an incredibly enjoyable and inspiring evening.

Charles Ballew

Kansas CityHelp from strangers

I would like to thank a young man, his two small sons and two young women for stopping their cars to help me catch my very fast small dog, Eddy Wayne, at Barry Road and North Main Street. How wonderful for them to stop and help a stranger save her dog’s life.